With the amount of time we spend on our phones, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Is all the electromagnetic radiation bad for us?’

I spent a lot of time researching, reading, and talking to experts about my concerns, and the simple answer is ‘Yes, it’s certainly not good for us.’ And it’s not only our phones; it’s tablets, routers, smart meters, and even baby monitors!

In fact, some of the more profound physiological effects of frequent, prolonged, and cumulative use from electromagnetic exposure include extensive free-radical damage, the production of stress or heat-shock proteins, a marked depletion of melatonin, elevated intracellular calcium, inflammation, and a disorganizing effect on the ability to learn and remember. Even more serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s, breast and brain cancer, and ALS have been linked to extensive exposure from wireless and electronic devices according to the BioInitiative Report of 2012. Yikes!

Despite the electropollution, we’re all still using these devices, so the next question I asked was ‘What can I do to protect myself?’ One of the answers was really very simple: sleep with your phone on airplane mode which will shut down the transceiver. Makes sense, right? We spend 6-10 hours asleep and for many of us, our phones sit right beside our heads transmitting signals. Not only are the signals scientifically proven to be harmful, but also deeply affect our sleep.

The second I heard that, I started sleeping with my phone on airplane mode. Aside from that, I’ve actually been keeping it on until after my ENTIRE morning routine is done. I wake up peacefully, then basically forget about my phone until I’m heading out the door.

For extra motivation, here’s what happened when I put this challenge into practice:

1. I truly began sleeping better. Not only because the sea of invisible energy is no longer flying around my head, but also because my phone wasn’t beeping or lighting up, causing interruption. And when I went to check my phone in the middle of the night to see what time it was, I didn’t have to stare at the influx of notifications.

2. My mornings became mine again. Like I just alluded to, one of the beautiful things about airplane mode is that notifications don’t come through until you turn it off. Therefore, sleeping with my phone on airplane mode is also a choice to NOT wake up to emails, texts, Instagram/FB/Twitter messages, etc. This small change made a HUGE, wildly refreshing, and calm difference in my life. My entire morning is mine (YAY!) without concern for all the crap waiting for me. When I’m ready to take on the day and handle my messages, I turn airplane mode off.

I challenge you to try this and I mean REALLLY try it. Airplane mode turns on at bedtime and doesn’t turn off until you have completed your morning and are ready for work. Promise?!

Please let me know how you sleep and feel about this newfound you time in the morning!

p.s. This GOOP article has a ton of good info, some that I shared above. Check it out if you want more.